Soho International Film Festival brings star power and 100+ premieres to New York

RJ Ensalada Photo

The SOHO International Film Festival is bringing major star power, world premieres and international cinema to New York City as its 17th edition runs from October 7 to 13, 2026.

This year’s festival features more than 100 premieres, including over 35 world premieres, with a lineup that includes films starring Lou Diamond Phillips, Juliette Lewis, Harvey Keitel, F. Murray Abraham, DJ Qualls, Margaret Cho, Mickey Rourke and Ice-T.

Opening the festival is “Jackrabbit,” a New York-shot mystery-comedy-thriller directed by Emmy and Peabody Award winner Ballard C. Boyd. The film stars Kuhoo Verma, Taylor Ortega, Saamer Usmani, Soojeong Son and Mark Gessner and follows an investigative journalist and a struggling actress who are forced to work together after their mutual best friend mysteriously disappears.

Among the festival’s biggest attractions is “Gangland,” a crime drama directed by Vincent Grashaw and starring Lou Diamond Phillips, Nick Stahl, Dana Namerode and Irene Bedard. Phillips, who also serves as an executive producer, is scheduled to attend the festival and participate in a post-screening discussion.

Another highly anticipated presentation is “3 Days Rising,” a psychological horror reimagining of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher.” The film features one of the final leading performances of the late Peter Greene and also stars Mickey Rourke, Ice-T, Frank Whaley and Paul Ben-Victor.

Juliette Lewis appears in “Jesus Land,” an adaptation of Julia Scheeres’ bestselling memoir. The drama follows a white teenage girl and her adopted Black brother as they confront racism, religious fundamentalism and abuse at a reform school.

Hollywood veterans Harvey Keitel and F. Murray Abraham headline “Milarepa,” a visually ambitious post-apocalyptic story about a young girl who turns to magic after the death of her father.

The festival also features “The King of Black Goo,” starring DJ Qualls, Margaret Cho, Kathleen Wilhoite and Harriet Sansom Harris in a dark comedy about a lonely man who undergoes a personality-changing medical procedure in search of love.

Beyond Hollywood names, SIFFNYC is putting New York City’s independent film community in the spotlight through a partnership with the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. A special “Made in NY” Filmmaker Listening Tour session will give local filmmakers the opportunity to discuss production challenges, incentives and resources directly with city officials.

The festival is also continuing its collaboration with New York Women in Film & Television with a special screening series highlighting women filmmakers and industry professionals.

International cinema is another major part of the program, with projects from South Korea, Japan and France. Featured titles include the Korean comedy-drama “Karlovy Vary,”

Japanese filmmaker Toshio Sekine’s “Shambhala Story,” and French filmmaker Emilie Tommasi’s World War I-era fantasy “The Gliwensbourg Chronicles.”

Founded in 2009, the SOHO International Film Festival has grown into a showcase for both established stars and emerging filmmakers from around the world. With more than 100 premieres, celebrity appearances and a strong focus on New York’s creative community, the 2026 edition is once again turning Manhattan into a gathering place for independent cinema.